Raonic hot, Bouchard not, for U.S. Open

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada talks to the media during previews for the US Open tennis at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2014 in New York City. (Julian Finney/Getty Images/AFP)

Mike Koreen, Toronto Sun

Milos Raonic enters the U.S. Open as one of the hottest players in men’s tennis.

Eugenie Bouchard enters the U.S. Open as one of the coldest players in women’s tennis.

Whether this means something or nothing will be determined over the next two weeks in New York.

Canada’s two big Grand Slam hopes have had almost opposite post-Wimbledon stretches on the North American hardcourts heading into the final major of the season.

Let’s start with Bouchard, who many would argue still has a better chance to win than Raonic based on the lack of a Big Four in women’s tennis (though Rafael Nadal is out with an injury on the men’s side). After her loss to Petra Kvitova in the Wimbledon final, Bouchard has dropped three of four matches on hardcourts — including the hometown stunner to American qualifier Shelby Rogers in her opening match in Montreal.

“I’m not worried too much about the leadup to the U.S. Open,” Bouchard, who has been battling knee and thig